Southern San Juan

You may trigger an avalanche where you find one to three feet of dense snow resting above buried weak layers. Be cautious near steep slopes that face west to north through southeast. You may not see cracking or feel collapsing before you trigger an avalanche. Look for and avoid potential trigger spots like shallow snow near exposed rocks, on the backside of steep rollovers, and below cliffs where it is easier to impact weak layers at the ground. You can find safer travel options on south-facing slopes, or those less steep than about 30 degrees without steep terrain overhead.

A winter storm arrives Friday night and intensifies throughout the day Saturday. It will become easier for you to trigger an avalanche in the new storm snow. Expect avalanche danger to increase on Saturday, and don’t use today’s forecast to plan your weekend.